Category: Travel

Travel Backpack Pack List and Windows Phone 7 Giveaway

This is the super fancy Windows Phone 7. Behold!

Ooo. Shiny.

The idea behind the phone is that you can do all kinds of stuff with it, so you don’t have to carry so many gadgets around to stay on top of your life. As you know from the Packing Light series, I’m all about doing more with less, specifically only what you can fit in a carry-on and a backpack

Lots of you have asked me what I pack in my backpack while I’m on the road. All of my electronics go in there, so here’s my list of what’s in my “personal item” bag when I’m boarding a plane.

Digital SLR with 50mm 1:1:4 lens
Camera battery charger
Phone charger
Earbuds
Laptop charger
Laptop
Magazine
Moleskine journal
Pens that won’t explode in flight
A hard case for my glasses
A small purse that contains:
-my wallet
-keys
-phone
-and a mesh zip bag with:
+Waleda hand cream
+Burt’s Bees lip balm
+Lipstick
+Eye drops
Comfort kit with
-snacks
-teabags
-a sleeping mask
-earplugs
-an inflatable neck pillow with knit cover

How about you? What’s your bare minimum of what you need to be comfortable when you’re traveling, or working, or just getting ready in the morning? What are your tricks for doing more with less in your life?

I’m giving away one Windows Phone 7, which is worth about $500, plus all this good stuff:

-A one year XBOX Live Gold membership
-A three month unlimited Zune Pass — which lets you download and stream unlimited music and keep 30 songs forever and ever.
– A T-Mobile SIM, active until November 30. (If you’re already a T-Mobile subscriber, you can also use your existing SIM.)

To enter, all you have to do is leave a tip in comments about how you’re doing more with less. You can enter once a day, but you’ll need to cough up a new and improved tip every time you comment. I assume this helps ensure that you are not a robot. Not that I have anything against robots.

Now for the fine print. The contest is open until November 29, and as usual I’ll pick a winner using random.org. I’ll email the winner, and once he or she emails me back, I’ll announce who it was on Mighty Girl. Sound good? Great. The crazy detailed details are here, as are the bazillion (or so) other sites where you can go to enter for another chance to win the phone. I encourage you to do so.

This giveaway was brought to you by the new Windows Phone 7. Less MIA. More PTA: Learn about Windows Phone online and see it in person at local T-Mobile stores today.

http://thirdparty.fmpub.net/placement/370528?fleur_de_sel=%5Btimestamp%5D

How to Keep Kids Happy While You’re Away

When we decided to take Hank to Ireland last minute, reader Lianne Raymond sent me a touching note offering some tips for keeping kids content while you’re away — whether you’re traveling or just dropping them off at daycare. Her ideas mirror a lot of my own philosophies about parenting, so I thought I’d share. Thanks, Lianne.

1) Acknowledge the child’s feelings.

Empathize with them. “I know, it’s hard to be apart, isn’t it?” And normalize their feelings. “Everybody feels a little bit scared when they go to a new place.” Let their attachment to you be a place they can rest in love in the midst of their anxiety.

Don’t minimize the child’s feelings or ask them to change how they feel. “Can you be a brave big boy for mummy?” Don’t try to change their feelings and behavior.

2) If the child is going to school or childcare, let them see you interact with the teacher or the caregiver in a positive way.

Children are naturally wired to be wary of strangers — for good reason. They will, however, take cues from those they love as to who is worthy of their trust. If they see you interacting with the teacher with smiles, nods, laughter and even a hug, if possible, they will be able to feel safer with that person. Not that they will bond immediately, the relationship will still need to be developed, but this provides a good footing.

3) Give the child an object through which they can feel connected to you while you are apart.

A scarf that smells like your favourite perfume. A locket with a picture of you and them inside. Matching bracelets that you both wear — these can be a simple as a coloured string — hey it works for Kabbalah peeps! Imbue the object with some magic powers, “When you open the locket invisible magic dust will come out and you will be able to see Mummy in your head and mummy will be able to see you in her head, and it will be just like we are together.” “There is an invisible string connecting our two bracelets and when you tug on your bracelet it will travel along the invisible string until it gets to me.”

4) Focus on the return

Don’t talk details about the separation, but give details about the reunion. “Oh, it’s going to be so wonderful when I come to pick you up. I’m going to give you the biggest hug and smother you in kisses. I’m going to be so happy to see you!”

5) Don’t avoid the goodbye

It’s very common for parents to try to sneak out of the house or away from the school and avoid dealing with the feelings of separation altogether. While understandable, it is much better to focus on developing emotionally healthy separation rituals then to leave the child feeling abandoned.

All excellent advice. Thanks again, Lianne. And what about you? Do you have any special rituals that keep you connected when you’re away from the kids in your life?

Mighty Summit: Packing Light

This is everything I packed for the Mighty Summit in the Russian River wine country. As you might have surmised, it takes some time to decide what to wear in front of 30 bloggers’ digital SLRs. This is the third post in the L.L.Bean Signature series, so you’ll find a few of those products below.

Is this me wearing another shirt as a dress? Maybe. Maybe it is, Internet. I have seen photo evidence that this might be shorter than I expected, but whatever. I was amongst the team.

I wore this with jeans and sneakers while we were unpacking boxes from the car. Then I changed into the tights and boots for the welcome party, which involved cocktails, and sliders, and smart ladies by the pool. This shirt/dress is Urban Outfitters, the tights are Target and they’re grey, though you can’t really tell from the photo.

The equestrian boots you are from L.L.Bean. Let’s go ride horses, you guys! No? Do you want a tiny little hamburger? Yeah, these boots are perfect for sliders.

The next morning we had a pajama breakfast, and I wore my vintage red velvet Christmas Robe with a T-shirt and boxers underneath.

Many a time have I considered cropping this robe and wearing it as trench coat, but this is only my third year owning The Christmas Robe. I cannot resist its Donna Reed qualities, even though I can’t fully raise my arms while I’m wearing it. Passing out presents is so dainty when you can’t bend at the elbow. Or shoulder. Fashion!

This is what I wore for wine tasting in the ‘70s. The preppy ruffle sweater is L.L.Bean, the cha-cha skirt is vintage (you may remember it from Puerto Rico), and the bronze cowboy boots are from Buenos Aires, which means I particularly enjoy it when people ask me where I got them. (Ask me about my boots!)

Actually, boots story. Margaret and her family came to Argentina with us, and her main goal for the trip was to find a pair of cowboy boots. These were the only pair she loved, but they were slightly too small. She said I should try them on, and they fit me perfectly. She selflessly passed them to me, and I promised I would wear them into the ground. We high-fived over the boots at the Summit, where Margaret also presented me with an amazing vintage dress she picked up for me in Dublin. In conclusion, Margaret is a wardrobe sister.

This outfit is my favorite thing ever, you guys. I took our fiesta palette inspiration from this Kate Spade ad, so the colors were red, lemon yellow, robin’s egg blue, and plum/fuchsia. I wasn’t sure what I’d wear to the party, until I realized that I actually owned a piece in every one of these colors. Here’s a better view of the tights:

Liz is rocking that striped dress. I covet her wardrobe, so look for her in a Mighty Closet soon.

My dress is H&M, tights and shoes are Target Online, and the cardigan is vintage. The sweater is such an old favorite that there’s a huge hole in the elbow of one arm, so I wore the sleeves pushed up.

FYI, this entire outfit, including shoes, cost $40. POW! Sock!

This is what I’d look like if you showed up at my apartment unannounced at around 8 a.m., and I happened to be sabering open a bottle of champagne.

As you know, I try to pack jammies that I can wear as outfits. I was so tired the third day, I didn’t entirely change out of my PJs until evening. The heather grey v-neck tee is Old Navy, the leggings are H&M. (To hike through the redwoods I pulled on boyfriend jeans from Limited.) The versatile wrap sweater is from Ambience in SF. It’s my version of a sweatshirt. Speaking of which:

This is me trying to convince Andrea to get an American Apparel sheer circle scarf. I use it as a wrap, a scarf, a hood, a top, a dress, a sarong, an airplane blanket. Someday I plan to do a trip with only this scarf, a toothbrush, and a couple pairs of underwear and an Esquire Magazine.

This is what I wore to our farewell dinner at Barndiva. Turban, FTW! Natalie got this hat for me as a present, because she is rad, and because she keeps trying to steal my yellow turban, which she cannot have. The tuxedo jacket is L.L.Bean; which I’ll have tailored to fit more closely when baggy goes out of fashion, and then will wear for the rest of time. The weirdly comfy high heels are from Nordstrom Rack.

My dress is vintage, purchased to hide post-baby chub at a time when people were still asking me when I was due, ie: twelve months after I’d given birth. Those people can suck it.

Many thanks to L.L.Bean for sponsoring this post. All of their products featured here are part of the current L.L.Bean Signature Collection, so they’re available now on the site, along with many other cute things that you might want, eh?

http://thirdparty.fmpub.net/placement/348017?fleur_de_sel=%5Btimestamp%5D

Packing Light: Dublin


This is every item of clothing I packed for seven days in Dublin. I’m doing a campaign for L.L.Bean’s Signature Collection and they sent me a giant box of clothes, so I’m wearing a few of those items below. That means you can actually obtain some of these pieces, instead of cursing me when I tell you that everything you love was purchased at a vintage shop in 2001.

L.L.Bean Signature Silk Habutai Dress Polka Dot

For example, this perfectly faded brown dress with polka dots? It’s L.L.Bean’s Silk Habutai Dress, and it’s so Little Orphan Annie. Except it’s made of heavy silk, but who says orphans can’t have nice things? Jerks, that’s who.

Anyway, as I mentioned recently, belts are a challenge for me. I’ve been trying to up my game on that front, so I bought a few from H&M and this is my first attempt. I felt so pulled together, ya’ll. The cardigan I’m belting here is also H&M, but it’s from the men’s section, which is where they keep all the good stuff.

The grey tights are Target, and the magic travel boots are from Argentina. They’ve gotten me through more trips than I can count.

Let’s get a closer look at those blue polka dots:

Hello, little buddies.

This is my travel outfit, hence the action pose. It’s a knit dress I got at a thrift store, worn with an H&M elastic belt and the aforementioned tights and boots. I also wore a grey sweater wrap that I didn’t get a photo of, but you can see it in my New York post from a couple years ago. It doubles as an airplane blanket.

I’m wearing the dress on the way back home too, so I’ll be washing it in the bathtub while I’m here. Airplane germs gross me out. Another reason to do a quick rinse:

This is the dress worn as a top. I’ve cleverly safety pinned the sides to the outside layer of my Express Ultra Skinny Stella jean pockets. You can also use extra large safety pins to do a gathering effect on the sides of your dress, which is slightly more labor intensive, but arguably more effective. There are those boots again. I love you, boots.

The necklace is also H&M, it makes everything a little more current. Unlike these killer sleeves. What’s up 1983? We miss your economy.

I borrowed this sweater from Bryan who got it at Macy’s a few years back. He never wears it, and it’s super soft. His loss. That’s an L.L.Bean Tweed Skirt and army green tights from Target.

The circle scarf is H&M, and I love how easy it is to mess with proportions when you’re wearing it. Also, coziness.

These are my Rudolf Dassler PUMAs, which I adore, so of course they rub away the skin over my Achilles tendon. I’ve been trying to decide whether I strictly need that skin, so I’ve taken to tying them lower. This frees up a lot of extra lace, hence the creative lace tying. I like the way it looks, so I’ve been doing that with all my sneakers now.

This is a packing minimization outfit. We’re revisiting the cardigan, boots, and jeans.

I forget where the shirt came from, but I bought it because I liked the gathering around the neck and cuffs. You have to iron it like crazy though, and I only seem to have time for that when I’m on vacation.

The hat is hand knit, I got it at a thrift store where I get almost all of my hand-knit items. For the record, if someone hand knits you something and you send it to a thrift store? I’m pretty sure you need to go to confession, or sacrifice a goat or something. Or at least learn how to knit things that other people can then throw away — full circle.

I try to pack PJs I can wear as clothes in a pinch, so this is a tank top and cropped sweats from who knows where. I wear the tank under stuff for an extra layer if it’s cold. The comfy pants are nice if I get sick and want to be cozy, or if my flight is delayed and everything I’m wearing is coated in airport goo.

Chic librarian is my preferred look, so this is my favorite outfit for the trip.

These are L.L.Bean’s Cuffed Cropped Pant. They are fantastic. I’d normally wear them with a chunky heel, but we’re walking on cobblestones in the rain here, so these are cheap, destroyable flats from Target.

The cashmere cardigan is from the Alameda Flea Market, the Peter Pan collar top was 99 cents on eBay, and the modernized cat-eye glasses are Dolce and Gabbana. The hair scarf is actually a belt from a polyester ’70s dress I got at a thrift store when I was in high school. Yeah. It’s time to clean out my closet.

Thanks to the team at L.L.Bean Signature Collection for sponsoring this post.
Next time I have a clambake, you are so invited.

Ireland Firsts

Things I’ve seen in Dublin that I’d never seen before:

– Advertising signs with a measure of humility, “Probably the best coffee in Dublin.” And subliminal truth in advertising, like placing the “cereal bars” right alongside the candy bars:

– Ketchup in tomato containers:

– They don’t offer you bags for small purchases here. I bought a juice box, an apple, and a yogurt this morning, and the guy just gave me change and turned away.

– Giant golf umbrellas are totally acceptable for use on city sidewalks, and indeed seem to be preferred:

– Ashtrays with chimneys:

-This miserly toilet paper dispenser, which distributes a single square at a time from the center of the roll:

Ace Hotel, NYC


(photo from The Standard Edition)

Man, I’ve spent a lot of time in New York this summer. When I mentioned the horrible (albeit cheap) teeny hotel room from my first trip, lots of you asked about good places to stay when you’re in town. Stay at the Ace.


We were at the Ace for a week and threw a cocktail party there with Federated Media (photos here). Because we needed the suite for the party, we ended up staying in three different rooms. By the end of the trip, I felt like we lived there.

The Ace is a boutique chain with other properties in Portland, Seattle, and Palm Springs as well. All the hotels have strong, free wi-fi throughout the property. The New York Ace has a welcoming lobby with a bar, an old timey photobooth, and a Stumptown Roasters attached. The coffee is so good, you’ll want to bathe in it.

Most of the rooms have walls painted by local artists, and the in-room fridge has a pony keg.

I can’t say that I’ve ever been inspired to take photos in a hotel gym before. I wonder what the decorators would have to do to inspire an actual work out. There are lovely details everywhere you look.


They even manage to make ironing less irritating, and Laura wanted to take the bathroom home with her.

Plus, you can’t beat a room that comes with a guitar.

Anyway, if you’re booking a trip to New York, I highly recommend a stay at the Ace. Where do you stay when you’re in town?

Top 10 Things to Do and Taste in Jamaica


Maite Velez-Couto, Tara Berger, Lauren Marino, and Me at Dunn’s River Falls. (Note to self: Avoid posing next to smokin’ 20-somethings in bikinis.)

1. Climb a waterfall at Ocho Rios.

Climbing Dunn’s River Falls is one of those magical experiences that I recommend adding to your life list. I climbed the falls as a kid, and it was so epic I was anxious the return wouldn’t live up to my memories. It did. Your tour group links hands and climbs a sort of natural stairway up the side. It’s a little rigorous, but it’s one of the lovliest natural settings I’ve ever experienced. Click this link and you’ll see how gorgeous it is. See? You must do this.

2. Try the Jerk.

Scotchies boasts some of the best Jerk chicken and pork the island has to offer, prepared at a grill behind the counter. Vegetarians, you might want to avert your eyes for this next photo.

If you’re gonna go, go whole hog.

3. Swim with dolphins.

We didn’t have time to stop at Dolphin Cove, so I need you to do this for me. Dolphins! Unfortunately, no pregnant ladies or under-eights allowed. Everyone else? Get in the water.

4. Have a Ting!

A refreshing local grapefruit soda that’s my new favorite. Even better with a little vodka or rum. And while we’re on the subject of rum…

5. Sip some local rum.

Appleton is a Jamaican rum that’s been around for nearly 300 years, and the Appleton VX is delicious. Nutty, creamy, soft, but not sweet. If you’re looking for more of a dessert beverage, try a Rum Cream on the rocks, which is like Bailey’s but slightly boozier and hence better in coffee.

6. Go horse swimming, ziplining, dogsledding, or four wheeling .

I’ve already told you about the snowless dogsledding at Chukka Caribbean Adventures, but you can also do an ATV Safari or go on a horseback ride/swim where the horses head out into the ocean with you still on their backs. Yes to that.

7. Take in some history.

Rose Hall Plantation is an old plantation that offers historical tours with a twist. Legend has it the original mistress of the plantation killed all of her husbands and lovers. Now they host weddings on site! I mostly enjoyed it for all the gorgeous objects on display in the mansion.

8. Have a Jamaican Patty.

A patty is like a savory turnover, and is among the most popular fast food in Jamaica. The meat and veggie filling is spiced with cumin and curry. Tasty.

9. Go dancing.

Pier 1 was my favorite of the clubs we visited, and currently Friday is the best night to go. The locals mingle with tourists, and the vibe is very, very laid back. Street vendors wait outside, grilling jerk chicken to stave off your hangover or satisfy your munchies.


Jamaican blogger Corve DaCosta.

10. Take a Catamaran and take a leap.

The catamaran to Rick’s Cafe to see the cliff divers was one of my favorite parts of the trip. You dock at Rick’s for a meal and a swim, or to take a dive off the cliffs yourself. It’s a 40-foot drop, and a few in our group made the leap, but I stayed on the boat and danced. Someone had to guard the rum.

I Think I’m Going to Jamaica

I’m currently on a four-hour layover at Miami International. While I’ve got some time on my hands, let me ask you something.

Were someone to offer you an unsolicited international trip via email, would you assume it’s a Nigerian prince scheme? Yeah, me too. Which is why I did a little research when the Jamaica Tourism Board contacted me about a week ago.

I know I’ve been on sponsored trips before (And I hope to take many such trips in the future! Captains of Industry, do drop me a line). But “free” travel usually comes at the end of a year-long pitch process with twenty different companies, and the conversations go like this:

-Will you stop using your laptop, and instead use our MP3 Player’s voice-activated “BlogUp!” feature?
-No.
-What if we let you keep the MP3 Player?

-Will you guarantee fifteen Tweets about video games over a two day period, using the hashtags #GameOn! #Cabo!
-No.
-What if we have our intern write the Tweets for you and set them to auto-post while you’re away?

So you can imagine my surprise when Jamaica contacted me about a week ago with a note that boiled down to, “What’s up, Maggie. Do you want to come to Jamaica?”

Uh. Yes?

And then I didn’t even bother to look for my hand-knit Rasta beret with attached dreads until a few days later when Jamaica was like, “Cool. Here’s your ticket.”

So now here I am in Miami. If you don’t hear from me in a few days, send a dispatch to Nigera, would you? Thanks a million, team.

Packing Light: CMSummit, Day 3

This little red dress is one of those outfits guaranteed to make you feel happy. I got it at H&M for ten bucks. When saw the price tag, I think I may have howled at the sky in triumph. It’s poly-so it packs like a dream, even with all the ruffles.

In the morning I set out on a long walk in my sneakers and dress. It turns out the men of New York are very verbal about their appreciation for red dresses. My favorite exchange:

-That’s a real pretty red dress.
-Thanks.
-You gotta get yourself some nice stilettos to go with it though.
-Why don’t you get some stilettos to go with yours?
-…Bitch.
-Uh-huh.

The jacket is also H&M, my shoes are Puma. It was sunny and warm when I started out, and pouring by the time I arrived. I bought this umbrella along the way.

Here’s a blurry close-up of the shoes. I wasn’t sober when I took it, and I had just spilled bourbon on them. Sorry, shoes.

I wore this into Brooklyn for drinks, and it was also my traveling outfit for the next day. The shirt is Old Navy, the Jeans are Express, and my scarf is vintage.

The only thing I packed that I didn’t need on this trip was a cotton robe to use on treks to the communal bathroom at the Jane Hotel (they had robes in the room). I wore a cotton knit sundress to bed, in keeping with my philosophy of packing double-duty jammies in case I need an extra outfit.

Turns out it’s way, way easier to pack for New York in Spring than in Winter. I can’t wait for summer trips when you can take three weeks worth of clothing in a carryon.

Packing Light: CM Summit, Day 2

Hey Laura, let’s take a moment to pause in the scenic parking lot outside our hotel at 2 a.m. because I forgot to take a picture of my outfit today.

Excellent. The jacket is thrifted, the purse is vintage, the expression is happy exhaustion. In real life, the blues are a little more harmonious than they appear under the parking lot spotlights.

This dress is a new favorite. I just picked it up at a vintage shop, and it fit like this right off the rack. Bam! it also rolls up into a little ball for packing and doesn’t wrinkle. Pow! Sock! Tights are from Target, and the little thing on my shoulder is a Fitbit. It’s like a pedometer that makes out with the Internet.

My shoes are also Target, and the pink purse has snaps on the side that let you make it clutch-sized, or larger like I have it here. My bracelet is from a museum shop in Buenos Aires, and so I especially enjoy it when people ask me where I got it.